THE family of a former mayor convicted of electoral fraud have demanded to know why police have failed to quiz voters who, they say, have also broken the law.

Ex-Castlefields councillor Pat Tyrrell, 75, was convicted last month of ten counts of electoral fraud, relating to the 2004 local elections.

The veteran councillor, who represented his seat for more than 20 years, was fined £3,000.

His convictions came after a two-year police investigation which began with a dawn raid on his Castlefields home.

Mr Tyrrell was locked in a cell for 11 hours and was refused medical attention. He resigned from the council due to ill-health the week before his trial.

His son, Paul, has lodged a complaint with the Independent Police Complaints commission about how his father's case was handled. And now he has demanded to know why the voters involved in his father's case were not prosecuted as well.

He said: 'My father admitted his part in inadvertently breaching the rules concerning the witness declaration forms contained within the postal ballot documents.

'During the course of the investigation into my family's role in this matter, it became clear that every voter in the case had also broken the law.

'Each voter was responsible for how their vote was cast. They were legally required to have their papers signed in the presence of a witness. The ballot and witness papers made this clear.

'In spite of this clear warning, the police have failed to question any voter with a view to preparing a file to be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.'

Det Insp Peter Shaw, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a comprehensive inquiry.

'Integrity of the election process is central to British democracy and the allegations lodged with Halton police were viewed seriously and investigated thoroughly and with profession- alism.